An apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel The solids injection lance has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solids to the solids injection lance and that is upstream and co-axial with the solids injection lance. The apparatus has a tool that extends through the supply line section and the solids injection lance to remove a blockage of solid material and an assembly for advancing the tool through the solids injection lance and the supply line section to the blockage from an upstream side of the blockage.

An apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel The solids injection lance has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solids to the solids injection lance and that is upstream and co-axial with the solids injection lance. The apparatus has a tool that extends through the supply line section and the solids injection lance to remove a blockage of solid material and an assembly for advancing the tool through the solids injection lance and the supply line section to the blockage from an upstream side of the blockage.

A method for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from a separating cyclone to a cyclone furnace inlet includes receiving the mineral material in a material receiving conduit from a bottom outlet of the separating cyclone. There is a first pressure in the receiving conduit. The mineral material is fluidised in the receiving conduit and flows upwards in an inclined elongated gas-lock valve from a lowermost section of the receiving conduit to an uppermost section of an outlet conduit. The mineral material is supplied from the outlet conduit to the inlet of the cyclone furnace, wherein there is a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. A fluidisation unit in the gas-lock valve maintains the particulate mineral material in a fluidised state, such that the fluidised particulate mineral material flows due to gravity from the material receiving conduit, upwards through the gas-lock valve and to the outlet conduit.

A method for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from a separating cyclone to a cyclone furnace inlet includes receiving the mineral material in a material receiving conduit from a bottom outlet of the separating cyclone. There is a first pressure in the receiving conduit. The mineral material is fluidised in the receiving conduit and flows upwards in an inclined elongated gas-lock valve from a lowermost section of the receiving conduit to an uppermost section of an outlet conduit. The mineral material is supplied from the outlet conduit to the inlet of the cyclone furnace, wherein there is a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. A fluidisation unit in the gas-lock valve maintains the particulate mineral material in a fluidised state, such that the fluidised particulate mineral material flows due to gravity from the material receiving conduit, upwards through the gas-lock valve and to the outlet conduit.

A continuous concentrate feeding equipment of the present invention, which can supply the concentrate to a smelting furnace continuously when the concentrate is received, includes a pressure-adjusting tank that temporarily accumulates granular concentrate; a lift tank that receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank and discharges the concentrate to a smelting furnace; an air passage for introducing compressed air into the pressure-adjusting tank and the lift tank, respectively; and control means for controlling the compressed air, and the concentrate is continuously supplied from the lift tank to the smelting furnace even when the lift tank receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank by the control means.

A continuous concentrate feeding equipment of the present invention, which can supply the concentrate to a smelting furnace continuously when the concentrate is received, includes a pressure-adjusting tank that temporarily accumulates granular concentrate; a lift tank that receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank and discharges the concentrate to a smelting furnace; an air passage for introducing compressed air into the pressure-adjusting tank and the lift tank, respectively; and control means for controlling the compressed air, and the concentrate is continuously supplied from the lift tank to the smelting furnace even when the lift tank receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank by the control means.

A vibratory apparatus includes a deck and an exciter assembly coupled to the deck. The apparatus also includes a motion sensor, a weight sensor, and a control system coupled to the exciter assembly, the motion sensor, and the weight sensor. The control system is configured to pause the rate of travel of the material across the deck for a weighing interval, to receive the signal from the weight sensor representative of a material weight on the deck during the weighing interval, to resume the rate of travel for a transporting interval, to receive a signal from the motion sensor representative of a material flow rate during the transporting interval, to determine a material mass flow rate based on the signals from the weight sensor and the motion sensor and the weighing and transporting intervals, and to vary the operation of the exciter assembly according to the material mass flow rate.

A vibratory apparatus includes a deck and an exciter assembly coupled to the deck. The apparatus also includes a motion sensor, a weight sensor, and a control system coupled to the exciter assembly, the motion sensor, and the weight sensor. The control system is configured to pause the rate of travel of the material across the deck for a weighing interval, to receive the signal from the weight sensor representative of a material weight on the deck during the weighing interval, to resume the rate of travel for a transporting interval, to receive a signal from the motion sensor representative of a material flow rate during the transporting interval, to determine a material mass flow rate based on the signals from the weight sensor and the motion sensor and the weighing and transporting intervals, and to vary the operation of the exciter assembly according to the material mass flow rate.

A method of removing a blockage in a solids injection lance under normal operating conditions of a direct smelting vessel is disclosed. The direct smelting vessel contains a bath of molten metal and slag and the solids injection lance extends into the direct smelting vessel and has an outlet end that is submerged in the molten slag. The solids injection lance further has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solid feed material to the solids injection lance. The method comprises (a) advancing a blockage-removing tool through the supply line section and through the solids injection lance to an upstream side of the blockage, (b) operating the tool under elevated gas pressure conditions to remove the blockage such that solid feed material and gas are able to flow through the solids injection lance. The method further comprises (c) retracting the tool from the solids injection lance and the supply line section. Also disclosed is an apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel.

A method of removing a blockage in a solids injection lance under normal operating conditions of a direct smelting vessel is disclosed. The direct smelting vessel contains a bath of molten metal and slag and the solids injection lance extends into the direct smelting vessel and has an outlet end that is submerged in the molten slag. The solids injection lance further has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solid feed material to the solids injection lance. The method comprises (a) advancing a blockage-removing tool through the supply line section and through the solids injection lance to an upstream side of the blockage, (b) operating the tool under elevated gas pressure conditions to remove the blockage such that solid feed material and gas are able to flow through the solids injection lance. The method further comprises (c) retracting the tool from the solids injection lance and the supply line section. Also disclosed is an apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel.